"Indeed"Byakuya simply said these words as he looked at Itsuki. Itsuki just shook his head and proceeded to enter the Senkaimon with four of them following.
On their way, Renji started speaking,
"Some time ago, there was a report stating that high level reiatsu was released in the area, apparently a Gillian made an appearance and an unknown Shinigami defeated it…"
He carried on reporting things like, a sudden gathering of hollows, reports of hollows being killed by someone or something unknown. Basically, all of Ichigo"s exploits during him becoming a Shinigami. While Itsuki and Byakuya kept their stoic faces, Soi Fon and Hinamori got increasingly astonished the more they heard.
The sun was currently setting as it blessed its dying rays over Karakura town when a senkaimon appeared in the middle of the streets. The pedestrians around them were oblivious to this as they went on with their lives.
"Modern society…"
Although it wasn"t exactly modern, as to when Itsuki died in his previous life, he did feel a sense of familiarity with it.
Itsuki then turned to Soi Fon,
"Wasn"t someone sent to find her?"
"Yeah, I think his name was Saido Eikichiro"
Itsuki remembered this name from the anime. The first Shinigami that confronted Rukia on Masaki"s death anniversary, not that it happened now considering Itsuki did save her. So Itsuki thought that the story must"ve followed a similar yet different plot considering the actions Eikichiro took was extremely similar to the anime.
By the time they found traces of Rukia and reached the Kurosaki clinic, it was already dark. Itsuki knew exactly where she was but Byakuya and Itsuki didn"t do anything. Seeing Rukia running out, the three subordinates were all astonished,
"That girl, I only sense a bit off strength from her, did she lose it?"
Soi Fon was the most knowledgeable form the three,
"No, a Shinigami doesn"t just lose their powers, she has given it to someone. A human most likely…"
"Wha…"
Renji and Hinamori were astonished when the heard this before Soi Fon continued,
"You do know what the punishment is for such crime."
Facing Soi Fon"s deadly look, the two gulped and ran after Rukia.
Itsuki looked at the two tailing her and back at Soi Fon indicating for an answer. Although Soi Fon felt this, she ignored him and went after the two.
Byakuya saw this and a small laugh left his mouth before being filled with worry. He knew what the crime was, he knew the punishment and he knew the oath he made. Although other couldn"t see it, for Itsuki, it was as bright as day. Patting his shoulder, he rea.s.sured Byakuya and indicated to show himself and lead the arrest. He then sent a message for Soi Fon and Hinamori to stay in the shadows.
The scene played out exactly like the anime.
Renji confronted Rukia and chastised her for only noticing him when he called out. He then attacked her until Uryu Ishida appeared.
Uryu Ishida was fair skinned teenager of average height and a slender build. He had straight black hair the framed both sides of his face while gla.s.ses fell over his blue eyes.
Itsuki was on the side-lines watching it play out. The only reason he could think of why Aizen had sent him out was because he was plotting something, or was he thinking too much into it. Aizen is someone who"s one move will have a tremendous impact on the people around him. Different people will think differently but still make him into a perfect being. One may think he was benevolent while the other would think he was strong.
"Renji talks quite a lot"
Hinamori"s voice brought him out of his thoughts. As they watched on.
Soi Fon on the side also spoke,
"I didn"t expect there were any Quincy"s left"
The three saw Renji about to kill Ishida when they felt another reiatsu approaching him. It was quite small, so they never paid much attention to who it was, yet Itsuki knew exactly who it was. Creating a flashy entrance of striking his sword on the ground, an orange headed Shinigami made himself known.
"That guy…"
Soi Fon found him familiar,
"…doesn"t he look like Lieutenant Kaien?"
Hinamori nodded while Itsuki narrowed his eyes. This was taking too long, no wonder this scene took two anime episodes. Itsuki decided to make a move and silently appeared behind Rukia. Apart from Byakuya, no one noticed him there as Ichigo got his first ever power up and started thrashing Renji. While he was thrashing Renji he saw something reflect off Renji"s sword. Three figures had appeared behind Rukia and looking at her expression she didn"t know they were there. Pushing Renji back, he jumped towards Rukia as the figure in the middle raised his hand.
Renji was surprised by this, why did he jump back?
Time seemed to slow, as Rukia was also shocked by the changes, why did he suddenly jump towards her?
Byakuya had had any change on his face as Ichigo shouted,
"Get away from Rukia!"
Rukia was further shocked as someone had appeared behind her, and looking at the reflection in Ichigo"s eyes, she was once again shocked.
"Ichigo, NOO!"
As soon as she said that a figure appeared behind him and pushed Ichigo down while another pointed her sword at Ichigo"s throat. Rukia then felt someone rubbing her head and turned around to only see Itsuki behind her. Seikyo squawked on his shoulder as she started to feel sleepy.
Ichigo watched Rukia fall asleep in front of him as Itsuki picked her up and took her to a senkaimon Hinamori opened. Ichigo felt a sense of déjà vu seeing the youth"s white hair.
Soi Fon who was on top, shunpoed to Itsuki"s side as Ichigo got up.
"Wait! I said WAIT!"
Soi Fon was about to make a move when Renji appeared in front of him. Feeling the brute of Ichigo"s reiatsu when their sword collided, Renji was incapacitated and Ichigo went for another strike. This time Byakuya made his move and cut Ichigo"s sword half. He then proceeded to attack Ichigo"s Saketsu and Hakusui just like the anime, destroying his Shinigami powers.
"Even when you fall, it"s slow"
Thinking he was dead, Byakuya and Renji left him and made for the Senkaimon. After they had left Ichigo"s arm twitched while Urahara appeared next to him.
Upon returning, the task for holding Rukia was tasked to the detention corps as news spread throughout soul society of Rukia"s execution. He had barely arrived at the 2nd division HQ when Ukitake came rushing in. He was coughing violently, barely able to hold himself when Itsuki came up to help him.
Setting him down, Itsuki was immediately barraged with questions as he calmly replied. It wasn"t until noon that Ukitake left. After Itsuki made sure that Ukitake was gone, he immediately started his investigation. He wanted to know if Aizen had done something while he was gone. Looking through all the recent files he found nothing, but he knew that there was something wrong. Itsuki didn"t expect to find anything in these files, but it doesn"t hurt anyone in having extra knowledge.
He personally visited each prison and the nest of maggots but found nothing. He then realised in the inconsistency of everyone"s report it seems that there was a certain time where they can"t remember what they were doing. It was quite well hidden and Itsuki was barely able to find it.
Concentrating at this part, Itsuki looked around and found nothing out of place. It was as if Aizen just came to look for information.
A week pa.s.sed as Itsuki set up counter measures and going through the library. He wasn"t going through all the book again but trying to confirm his suspicions. He felt as if there was a secret repository in the library, a forbidden one. One that had the true history of the Soul Society.
He looked at all the books he found suspicious and realised they were from the same author. Reading through the book he found some clues but would need to confirm them at the real one.
While he was waiting alarms bell rang out,
"Emergency, emergency, intrusion in west rukongai…"
"So, they"re finally here"
Itsuki looked in the direction where Ichigo"s group entered as he felt a familiar reiatsu from there. A short while later, Seireitei"s Seki-Seki gates came down and everything went according to plot. Sometime later, it was reported that Gin succeeded in pushing back the intruders. The use of the Soukyoku was decided for Rukia"s execution and she was sent to the shrine of penitence. After that an emergency captain meeting was called alongside the lieutenants having to have an emergency meeting as well. During this time, the captains barely met with the lieutenants.
Currently at the gathering place for lieutenants, Renji and the lieutenant of the 7th division were walking through the hallways. He wore black gla.s.ses with his standard Shinigami shihakuso. He had a distinctive haircut and a horizontally long moustache. His style and way of speaking reminded people of a yakuza.
Entering they met Aizen"s lieutenant, he had ordinary features and basically worshipped Aizen. Just as they were talking to him, Rangiku"s voice was heard.
"It"s because the lieutenants are always scattered over soul society like busy bees…"
She slowly made her way in,
"…it would take at least half a day with everyone to gather. I haven"t seen our captain as well."
Renji didn"t know who Rangiku"s captain was so he asked the Yakuza looking guy,
"Ibsan, who is Rangiku-san"s captain?"
"You know…that genius. .h.i.tsugaya kid"
"Oh, she must have it hard"
Another voice was heard as a figure flashed in front of them,
"Rangiku, you"re already here?"
Soi Fon had just arrived as she made her way to Rangiku. Rangiku turned around and suddenly embraced Soi Fon,
"Soi Fon, it"s been a long time"
Soi Fon started suffocating as she was further pushed into Rangiku"s valleys. Renji had a blush on his face as Iba looked away,
"Stop looking otherwise your eyes will be gouged out"
Renji was surprised when he felt a gaze directed at him. Seikyo was there glaring at Renji causing him to also look away.
Soi Fon was blushing as she pushed herself away from Rangiku.
"W-what are you doing?"
Rangiku just smiled as she walked away with Soi Fon
Renji then once more looked at Iba,
"I"ve seen her with captain Minamoto but who is that?"
"Didn"t you see the armband on her, she is the 2nd division"s lieutenant. There are rumours that she had captain level strength."
Aizen"s lieutenant then asked Renji,
"Have you seen captain Aizen?"
Renji sweated a bit as he just had a talk with him,
"N-no, I haven"t"
Renji knew that Captain Aizen wanted to keep their meeting a secret so he never told anyone.
While at the Captain"s meeting, Gin was the last one to arrive.
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Author"s note
Been watching bleach alongside writing this so I don"t miss out any details.
Plus, it seems I have severely underestimated Yamamoto. Remembering all the fanfics I have read does no justice to his strength so I"ll be making a few changes with what I have written in Itsuki"s strength.